Surgical appliance.



L. E. WOODWARD. SURGICAL APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED MAE. 6, 1913.

1,066,356. Patented Julyl, 1913.

WIT IVESSE 8 ATTORNEYS LEWIS ETHRIDGE WOODWARD, OF WACO, TEXAS.

SURGICAL APPLIANCE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1,1913.

Application filed March 6. 1913. Serial No. 752,347.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, LEWIS E'rHRiDen WVooownnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Taco, in the county of McLennan, State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Surgical Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in surgical appliances, and has for its object to provide an appliance of the character specified, especially adapted for the treatment of rectal and uterine troubles, wherein a. means is provided for supporting the uterus and for retaining it in its proper position, while at the same time applying healing medicaments, and a means for preventing the protrusion of piles or rectal tumors, both mounted on a common support, and ad:- justable with respect to the support, and with respect to each other to meet varying conditions, and wherein the support for the said means is especially designed to prevent discomfort to the wearer, while at the same time the support is sufficiently firm and rigid.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of the improved appliance in use; Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the same detached; Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial longitudinal section, and Fig. 1 is a section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 3.

The present embodiment of the invention comprises a support 1 formed on a double or reverse curve to fit the perineum, and at its front end the support is provided with a bearing 2. The rear end of the support is extended upwardly, as indicated at 3, the extension being arched outwardly and having a bearing 41 at its extremity.

A ring 5 is journaled in the bearing 4, and a substantially V-shaped hanger or yoke, comprising a body 6 and arms 7, is connected to the front endof the support, the body 6 being -journaled in the bearing The arms 7 of the hanger extend outwardly and upwardly, and the extremity of each is bent to form a ring 8.

The support 1 is slotted longitudinally at 9 and bulbs 10 and 11 are mounted to slide on the upper face of the support. Each bulb'is provided with a pair of parallel transverse grooves 12 on its under or lower end, the rib 13 formed between the grooves fitting the slot 9. Each bulb is also pro-- vided with a vertical opening 1 1, and bolts r 15 and 15 are passed through the respective openings of the bulbs, the head 16 16 of each bolt being countersunk in the bulb. Each bolt extends through the slot 9, and washers 17 and 17 are arranged on the respective bolts below the support and nuts 18 and 18 engage the respective bolts below the washers.

The bulb 10 is shaped to fit within the lower end of the rectum and the said bulb is annularly grooved at 19 to receive the sphincter of the anus. The bulb 1.1 is cupped or recessed at 20 in its upper end and the said bulb is reduced below the de pression, as indicated at 21.

The bulb 11 is shaped to fit the vagina, and the depression 20 is designed to contain a filling 22 of cotton or the like, which may contain a medicament, if desired. The said bulb 11 is designed to support the uterus, engaging the neck thereof, and the said bulb is of such size that it will retain the uterus in the proper position- The support 1 fits the perineum and the extension is designed to fit between the buttocks, and straps may be connected with the rings 5 and 8 to hold the support in adjusted position. The arms 7 of the hanger fit on the outer sides of the labia, thus leaving the opening .of the urethra free. The said arms fit in the groin at each side.

I claim:

1. An appliance of the character specified, comprising a reversely curved support shaped to fit the perineum and having a longitudinal slot and an upwardly extending outwardly arched stem at its rear, a ring at the free end of the stem, the support having a bearing at its front end, a substantially V-shaped hanger or yoke having a body journaled in the bearing, and arms, each provided with a ring at its free end, said arms extending upwardly and outwardly, a pair of bulbs, each having on its lower end a pair of parallel transverse grooves for receiving the sides of the slot of the support and slidable thereon, said bulbs each having a vertical opening, a boltin each opening extending through the slot, a: washer on the bolt below the support, and a nut threaded onto the bolt, one of the bulbs having a cup-shaped depression in its upper end, the heads of the bolts being countersunk.

2. An appliance of the character specified, comprising a reversely curved support shaped to fit the perineum and having a longitudinal slot and an upwardly extend ing outwardly arched stem at its rear, a ring at the free end of the stem, the supportghaving a hearing at its front end, a substantially V-shaped hanger or yoke having ..a body journaled in the bearing, and arms, each provided with a ring at its free end, said arms extending upwardly and out wardly, a pairof bulbs, each havingon its lower end a pair of parallel transverse grooves for receivingthe sides of theslot of the-support and slidable thereon, means "for fixing eachbulb in adjusted position, one of the'bulbsbeing-of larger size than-the other and'havinga depression in its'upper end.

An appliance of the character specified, comprising a reversely curved support shaped to fit the perineum and having a longitudinal slot and ,an upwardly extendjournaled in the bearing, and arms, each 'PIOVlClGCl with a ring at its free end, said arms extending upwardly and outwardly, a pair of bulbs, each grooved on its under-face to .receive the sides of the slot, and means for securing each bulb to the support, one of the bulbs having adepression in its upper end. i

LEWIS ETHRIDGE WOODWARD. l/Vitnessesz R. D. HARRIS, G. G-ZIZINIA.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for 'five.cents each, by addressing the Commissioner, of fatents,

Washington, 'D. '0. 

